‘The Walking Dead’ Boss Talks ‘Atomic Bomb’ Negan, Saviors vs. Wolves

The world of The Walking Dead will change as we know it, come mid-February, as Rick and company take their first steps into a larger world, at least after a bit of house-cleaning. That expansion comes with a price, however, as series creator Robert Kirkman previews the “atomic bomb” that new series big bad Negan brings to the table, along with his “Savior” followers.

As far as shake-ups go, we have lots of shake-ups from season to season. It keeps things interesting — keeps the blood pumping, I like to say — but Negan is kind of an atomic bomb that’s going to be dropped on the show and the show will probably never be the same after that.

And while they weren’t explicitly named opposite Daryl, Sasha and Abraham, Kirkman also confirmed Negan’s followers as the “Saviors,” contrasting their organization with the mysterious “Wolves” we’ve contended with in Season 6:

I think the Saviors are dangerously organized. The Wolves were psychotic, the Hunters [the group from Terminus] had a lot of weaknesses. When it comes to the Saviors, and Negan in particular, the way I’ve always thought about this in the comics is this is a group that’s led by a guy who’s had his morality dial a few clicks away from Rick toward the darker aspects of his personality, but is still an intellectual and capable leader who’s kept his group alive against all odds just as long as Rick has.

It’s really the best encountering the best. When these two forces come head to head, things are gonna get interesting. This is a much different group than they’ve ever encountered. The Saviors are a group they’re not really prepared for.